Democratic candidate for the New York Senate 46th district Celicia Tkaczyk at her headquarters in Guilderland, NY Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Democratic candidate for the New York Senate 46th district Celicia...

46th Senate District candidate George Amedore votes at Schalmont High School in Rotterdam Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

46th Senate District candidate George Amedore votes at Schalmont...

Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George Amedore, center, is applauded by family members after declaring victory at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia, NY Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George...

NYS Senate candidate George Amedore, center, flashes a thumbs up as he and wife Joelle arrive to vote at Schalmont High School in Rotterdam Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George Amedore declares victory in his race at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia, NY Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George...

Democratic candidate for the New York Senate 46th district Celicia Tkaczyk speaks to volunteers at her headquarters in Guilderland, NY Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Democratic candidate for the New York Senate 46th district Celicia...

Kathy Marchione, running for the 43rd Senate seat, signs in to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at the American Legion Post in Halfmoon, N.Y. Joining her are her husband, Frank, left, and son John Hickok. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Kathy Marchione, running for the 43rd Senate seat, signs in to vote...

Kathy Marchione, running for a seat in the 43rd Senate District, votes Tuesday morning at the American Legion Post in Halfmoon. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Kathy Marchione, running for a seat in the 43rd Senate District,...

Kathy Marchione, running for a seat in the 43rd Senate District, right, prepares to leave with her grandson Jacob Hickok, 3, after voting Tuesday morning at the American Legion Post in Halfmoon. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Democratic candidate for the New York Senate 46th District, Celicia...

Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George Amedore declares victory in his race at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia, NY Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George...

Incumbent State Senator Hugh T. Farley, right, holds up Republican candidate for the New York Senate 46th district George Amedore hand up in victory at the Glen Sanders Mansion in Scotia, NY Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand D-N.Y., left, husband Jonathan, and sons Henry, 4, and Theodore, 8, celebrate on stage at New York State Democratic Headquarters after Gillbrand was predicted to win election for a full term as senator, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in New York. Gillbrand was pitted against Republican opponent Wendy Long.
(Kathy Willens, AP)

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand D-N.Y., left, husband Jonathan, and...

New York State Senator Neil Breslin speaks to fellow Albany County democrats at the Polish American Citizen's Club on election night Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

New York State Senator Neil Breslin speaks to fellow Albany County...

New York State Senator Neil Breslin speaks to fellow Albany County democrats at the Polish American Citizen's Club on election night Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

New York State Senator Neil Breslin speaks to fellow Albany County...

Town of Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan talks to democratic supporters at the Polish American Citizen's Club on election night Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. On stage with her are, from left, cnadidates Congressman Paul Tonko, Senator Neil Breslin and Albany District Attorney David Soares. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Town of Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan talks to democratic...

Allbany District Attorney David Soares talks to democratic supporters at the Polish American Citizen's Club on election night Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Allbany District Attorney David Soares talks to democratic...

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings talks to the press at the Polish American Citizen's Club on election night Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Candidate for the 108th State Assembly, Cohoes Mayor John McDonald III, at right, arrives at his polling place with family members, from left, wife Renee, daughters Emma, 15, Sophisa, 10, and son Liam,12, at Cohoes Middle School Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Candidate for the 108th State Assembly, Cohoes Mayor John McDonald...

Candidate for the 108th State Assembly, Cohoes Mayor John McDonald III arrives at his polling place in the Cohoes Middle School Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Candidate for the 108th State Assembly, Cohoes Mayor John McDonald...

Candidate for the 108th State Assembly, Cohoes Mayor John McDonald III speaks with reporters after casting his ballot at Cohoes Middle School Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Candidate for the 108th State Assembly, Cohoes Mayor John McDonald...

Joell-Damien Johnson, 2, plays a game on his mom's, Melissa Johnson, phone while she filled out her ballot at the polling station inside Green Tech High Charter School on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Joell-Damien Johnson, 2, plays a game on his mom's, Melissa...

Voters fill out ballots at the polling station inside Green Tech High Charter School on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Voters fill out ballots at the polling station inside Green Tech...

Some voters wait in line to receive their ballot as other voters fill out their ballots at the polling station inside Green Tech High Charter School on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Some voters wait in line to receive their ballot as other voters...

A sample ballot is seen taped to the wall outside the door to the polling station at the Community Center on Lark St. on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A sample ballot is seen taped to the wall outside the door to the...

A voter makes her way in to vote at the Community Center on Lark St. on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

NYS Assembly candidate Phillip Steck, center, shakes hands with a well wisher as he lunches with his father Ernie Steck, at left, at Gershon's Deli in Schenectady Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Voters are on their way to the polls Tuesday at Schalmont High School in Rotterdam. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Voters are on their way to the polls Tuesday at Schalmont High...

Voters fill out their ballots Tuesday, at the American Legion Post in Halfmoon. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Voters fill out their ballots Tuesday, at the American Legion Post...

Voters wait in line to sign the voter book and to get their ballot at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Voters wait in line to sign the voter book and to get their ballot...

Voters wait in line to sign the voter book and to get their ballot at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Voters wait in line to sign the voter book and to get their ballot...

Election inspectors work to get voters signed in before they vote at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Election inspectors work to get voters signed in before they vote...

Voters use privacy booths as they cast their votes at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Voters use privacy booths as they cast their votes at the Sycaway...

Voters wait in line with their ballots as other voters feed their ballots into the ballot reading machine at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Voters wait in line with their ballots as other voters feed their...

A voter makes his way into the Albany County Board of Elections on Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 in Albany, NY. On Monday voters who would not be able to vote on election day could come into the board of elections and cast an absentee ballot. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Privacy voting tables which are used by voters to fill in their ballot at the Saratoga Board of Elections on Friday Nov. 2, 2012 in Ballston Spa, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Privacy voting tables which are used by voters to fill in their...

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand feeds her ballot into the ballot reading machine as she voted at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand feeds her ballot into the ballot...

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand shakes hands with election inspector Robert Bell Jr. of Troy on Tuesday morning at the Sycaway Fire House in Troy. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand shakes hands with election inspector...

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand talks with election inspectors as she waited to sing the voting book at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand talks with election inspectors as...

Sherry Butler, left, of Brunswick gets her photograph taken with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand after the two women has cast their votes at the Sycaway Fire House on Tuesday morning, Nov. 6, 2012 in Troy, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

The outcome of the nail-biter in the new 46th Senate District won't be known for at least two weeks because the deadline to receive absentee ballots doesn't hit until Nov. 19.

But some boards of elections could start counting as early as Friday, as they had already scheduled to begin absentee ballot counting on that date.

When all machine votes were counted Tuesday, Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk led Republican George Amedore by 139 votes. But the outcome will be decided by the absentee ballots. So far, 8,571 absentee ballots have been received by boards of elections in Montgomery, Schenectady, Albany, Greene and Ulster counties, said state Board of Elections spokesman John Conklin. Tkacyzk's camp says there are 226 more absentee ballots from enrolled Democrats than Republicans. The number will change daily as more absentees trickle in.

The state Senate GOP carved out the new district for Amedore, an assemblyman who represents two counties in the new Senate district. But Tkaczyk, a former legislative aide to Senate Democrats who is vice president of the Duanesburg school board, put on a hard push in the last weeks, getting a $500,000 cash infusion from Democratic super PACs.

The political action committees targeted certain state races.

Amedore was slightly ahead for much of Tuesday night. But Ulster County results showed Tkaczyk had crushed Amedore there by 8,199 votes. Tkaczyk also took Albany County.

Amedore won Montgomery, Schenectady and Greene counties.

On Wednesday morning, Amedore's campaign filed a show-cause order in state Supreme Court in Montgomery County that calls for ballots to be secured before they are counted — a standard move made in close races. Conklin said the ballots most likely will be secured in their home counties.

Conklin also said the counties could start counting on the day each originally scheduled for absentee tallies. In Schenectady, it's Friday. In Greene and Montgomery counties, it's Tuesday, and for Albany and Ulster, Wednesday. But they the boards cannot certify the vote until after Nov. 19. However, since Amedore has already filed an order in court, a judge could determine what the counting schedule will be.

Amedore spokesman Kris Thompson said they believe the absentee ballots will shake out in favor of the GOP. "Our campaign team implemented an ambitious absentee program in the early stages of this race," Thompson said in a statement. "We firmly believe that once all the votes have been verified and counted, George Amedore will be the senator."

Meanwhile, attorneys from the state Democratic conference were also huddling to see what their next move should be. "We're confident her victory will be confirmed and solidified," Tkaczyk spokesman Gary Ginsburg said.

The state extended the deadline for absentee ballots by one week in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Voters could also file affidavit ballots if they were displaced from their usual polling locations as a result of the storm. But those ballots will not count in the 46th race, because those affected by the storm could only vote in national and statewide elections.

Confusion Tuesday at polling sites at the University at Albany might also have an impact on the 46th race.

Albany County elections officials were sorting through piles of affidavit — or paper — ballots cast when hundreds of students arrived at the polls to find that their names were not in the poll books. Democratic Elections Commissioner Matthew Clyne and Republican Rachel Bledi said it's not clear how many paper ballots, which are not counted in the voting machines on election night, are from the one election district on the campus that is in Guilderland and is part of the 46th.

Those votes would count because they are based on registration disputes, not the Superstorm Sandy displacements.

Based on the machine count in that district, any valid affidavits could break in Tkaczyk's favor. Tkaczyk beat Amedore 310 to 59 there among regular voters.